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In Degerloch

Our Early Years program in Degerloch features outstanding Mother Tongue support that augments the English as an Additional Language program. This currently includes support in German, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese and, of course, English, the language of instruction.

Whilst language acquisition is an integral part of our program, ISS provides additional specialist instruction in Music and Physical Education. Our experienced educators profile each child to find a “best fit” for their developmental needs. Students also benefit from the use of whole school resources such as school libraries, the latest iPad technologies, athletic and performing arts facilities. The Early Years in Degerloch also champions outdoor education, with regular field trips to the local woods and outdoor learning activities using the local environment. There is a strong link between our early learning and elementary communities as part of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program.

ISS carefully designs its age groupings to maximize potential for our students in large and small, differentiated groups. Early Years students, ages 3 and 4, learn together within four different IB Primary Years Program (PYP) units of inquiry taught over two years. The Kindergarten program, age 5, focuses on learning, literacy and the transition to grade 1 by exploring five PYP units and one integrated Art unit over the course of the whole year.

In the Early Years 3&4, there are a minimum of four key educators (three lead teachers and one learning assistant), all sharing and contributing to planning, learning and assessing. In Kindergarten each class is supported by a full time learning assistant. All teachers work in partnership throughout the programme and the staff/student ratio does not exceed 1:9. Teachers plan learning to suit the developmental and learning needs of the children. Some activities will be ongoing, some will be taught over shorter periods of time, and all will be based on the foundation of respect for the child: a child can do, a child is creative and a child can make choices about his/her learning.